1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic equipment using a supersonic motor and a supersonic motor for frictionally driving a moving body by a vibrating body having a piezoelectric element, and more particularly to a micro-mechanism for linearly moving a moving body by using a rotary type supersonic motor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, a field for which the linear movement is required has been expanded in various electronic equipment, optical equipment, medical equipment or the like. In general, in such a case, for instance, an electromagnetic type motor and a feed screw are used in combination, a voice coil motor or a movable coil motor is used, or an actuator using piezoelectric element is used.
However, in the case where the electromagnetic motor and the feed screw are used in combination, the mechanism becomes complicated and large in size and at the same time it is impossible to control a fine feed amount due to a backlash in the feed mechanism. Also, in the case where the voice motor or the movable coil motor is used, it is very difficult to perform the fine positioning operation, and also in some cases the rigidity is low and the position is displaced due to the outside vibration. In particular, in many cases, the voice coil motor or the movable coil motor is used in combination with a leaf spring or the like, and in those cases, the rigidity is further degraded. Then, the actuator using the electromagnetic force is affected by adverse effect of the electromagnetic noise. Also, at the same time, since the electromagnetic noise is generated, adverse affect is applied to a recording medium such as a magnetic disc and there is a possibility that adverse affect would be applied to wave used in communication.
In the case where the actuator using the piezoelectric element is used, although it is possible to perform a fine control, the shift is fine but a rough movement is impossible. If the enlargement mechanism is provided, the mechanism becomes complicated and large in size.
Then, in the case of the above-described motor or actuator, the electric power is consumed even if the mechanism is stopped at a particular position.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a downsized linear motion mechanism that may perform a fine movement and a rough movement by using a rotary type supersonic motor.
According to the present invention, it is possible to realize a linear or swing motion mechanism with a supersonic motor for linearly moving or swinging and moving a moving body by a rotary type supersonic motor and an output transmission means such as a cam or a pinion rotating in cooperation with a rotor of the supersonic motor.
According to the present invention, a linear motion mechanism with a supersonic motor or a swing motion mechanism with a supersonic motor can be realized by comprising a supersonic motor for driving a rotor by vibration of a vibrating body having a piezoelectric element, a pinion cooperating with the movement of the rotor, a moving body having a rack operating in a constant direction in response to a rotation of the pinion, and a pressurizing mechanism provided in the moving body for imparting a contact pressure to the pinion and the rack of the moving body.
Next, the linear motion mechanism with a supersonic motor according to the present invention is characterized by the cam or the pinion and the rotor being provided integrally with each other. Thus, a greater drive force is obtained from the supersonic motor, and it is possible to realize the linear motion mechanism with the supersonic motor in small size and thin shape.
Further, in the above linear motion mechanism with a supersonic motor according to the present invention, an outer diameter of the cam or the pinion is smaller than an outer diameter of an output pickup portion of the vibrating body. Thus, the moving body may obtain a larger drive force.
According to the present invention, a swing motion mechanism with a supersonic motor can be realized by comprising a supersonic motor for driving a rotor by vibration of a vibrating body having a piezoelectric element, a cam cooperating with the movement of the rotor, a moving body operating in a swing motion in response to a rotation of the cam, and a pressurizing mechanism provided in a part of the moving body for imparting a contact pressure to the cam and the moving body.
A linear motion mechanism with a supersonic motor according to the present invention is characterized by comprising a supersonic motor for driving a rotor by vibration of a vibrating body having a piezoelectric element, a cam or a pinion cooperating with the movement of the rotor, a moving body operating in a constant direction in response to a rotation of the cam or the pinion, and a pressurizing mechanism provided on an extension line of a guide portion that guides the movement of the moving body, for imparting a contact pressure to the cam or the pinion and to the moving body. Thus, since the guide of the moving member and the pressurization on the moving member occur coaxially, the movement of the moving member does not slant but is smooth, thereby making the invention strong against the external turbulence such as vibration.
A linear motion mechanism with a supersonic motor according to the present invention is characterized by comprising a supersonic motor for driving a rotor by vibration of a vibrating body having a piezoelectric element, a cam cooperating with the movement of the rotor, a moving body operating in a constant direction in response to a rotation of the cam, a point of application of force by the cam on a straight line connecting two guide portions guiding the movement of the moving body or two support portions supporting the moving body, and a point of application of force by a pressurizing mechanism for imparting a contact pressure to the cam and the moving body, the point being present on the above straight line. Thus, the point of application of force by the cam and a point of application of force by the pressurizing mechanism are provided on the same straight line, and therefore the movement of the moving member does not slant but is smooth, thereby making the invention strong against the external turbulence such as vibration.
A linear motion mechanism with a supersonic motor according to the present invention is comprised by a supersonic motor for driving a rotor by vibration of a vibrating body having a piezoelectric element, a cam cooperating with the movement of the rotor, a moving body operating in a constant direction in response to a rotation of the cam, and a point of application of force by the cam in the gravitational center of the moving body. Thus, since the point of application of force by the cam acts concentrically on the gravitational center of the moving body, the movement of the moving member does not slant but is smooth, thereby making the invention strong against the external turbulence such as vibration.
The linear motion mechanism with a supersonic motor according to the present invention is characterized in that a guide member for guiding the movement of the moving body is provided in a part of a rotor pressurizing member for imparting a contact pressure to the rotor and the moving body. Thus, it is possible to realize the linear motion mechanism in small size and thin shape
The linear motion mechanism with a supersonic motor or the swing motion mechanism with a supersonic motor according to the present invention is characterized in that when the supersonic motor is to be started, the rotor is rotated in advance in a direction so that the pressurizing force of the pressurizing mechanism gives a rotational force to the rotor, or a stationary wave is generated by the vibrating body so that a predetermined operation is performed by the rotor after the rotor has previously been rotated by the pressurizing force of the pressurizing mechanism. Thus, the linear motion mechanism with a supersonic motor, or the swing motion mechanism with a supersonic motor, of supreme reliability can be realized by avoiding the start failure due to the stick and the partial abrasion between the rotor and the vibrating body which occur in the case where the motor is left for a long period of time.
According to the present invention, the linear motion mechanism with a supersonic motor can be realized by comprising a fixing and supporting member, a stator for generating elastic vibration in a vibrating body having a piezoelectric element, a rotor translated into the rotational motion through a frictional force by the elastic vibration of the stator, a first pressurizing mechanism for imparting a suitable pressurizing force to the stator and the rotor, a rotation-linear motion converting mechanism for converting the rotational motion of the rotor into the linear motion, and a moving body portion linearly moved in accordance with the rotational motion of the rotor.
The linear motion mechanism with a supersonic motor according to the present invention can be realized by the rotation-linear motion converting mechanism comprising a guide member fixed to the fixing and supporting member, a rotating body portion rotated together with the rotor and having a slant portion different in thickness in a circumferential direction of the rotor, a linearly, moving body portion having a projecting portion at least a part of which is brought into contact with the slant portion of the rotating body portion, the linearly moving body portion being linearly moved in the thickness direction of the rotor with the guide member as a guide in accordance with the rotational motion of the rotor, and a second pressurizing mechanism disposed such that the moving body and the linearly moving body portion come into pressing contact with the rotating body portion at a suitable pressure.
The linear motion mechanism with a supersonic motor according to the present invention is characterized in that a pressurizing force in the second pressurizing mechanism is smaller than the pressurizing force in the first pressuring mechanism. Thus, the drive force of the supersonic motor is not affected by any adverse effect due to the external turbulence such as a load of the moving member, and therefore it is possible to realize the linear motion mechanism with the supersonic motor that is stable even in small size and thin shape and can obtain the drive force.
The linear motion mechanism with a supersonic motor according to the present invention is characterized in that the first pressurizing mechanism for applying a suitable pressurizing force to the stator and the rotor and the second pressurizing mechanism disposed such that the linearly moving body portion comes into pressing contact with the rotating body portion at a suitable pressure are used in common. Thus, it is possible to realize the linear motion mechanism with the supersonic motor in even smaller size and thinner shape.
The linear motion mechanism with a supersonic motor according to the present invention is characterized in that the rotating body portion has a projecting portion that enables the rotating body portion to come into contact with the linearly moving body portion at three points. Thus, the point of application of force of the linearly moving body portion that operates together with the moving body portion acts stably and uniformly on the rotating body portion. Therefore the portion operates smoothly, making the invention strong against the external turbulence such as vibration.
According to the present invention, the above linear motion mechanism with a supersonic motor is used in electronic equipment, which is characterized in that a load member is driven by the moving body. Thus it is possible to realize electronic equipment that is strong against the external turbulence such as vibration and free from the effect of the magnetic noise in a compact shape with low power consumption.
According to the present invention, the linear motion mechanism with a supersonic motor is used in electronic equipment, which is characterized in that an optical intensity is varied by the moving member. Thus it is possible to realize electronic equipment that is strong against the external turbulence such as vibration and free from the effect of the magnetic noise in a compact shape with low power consumption.
According to the present invention, the linear motion mechanism with a supersonic motor is used in electronic, which is characterized in that an optical distance is varied by the moving member. Thus it is possible to realize electronic equipment that is strong against the external turbulence such as vibration and free from the effect of the magnetic noise in a compact shape with low power consumption.